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Please list sightings in alphabetical order by site. Only report sightings that are of wider interest, rather than listing all common birds. However, DO NOT post details of nesting by scarce breeding birds (those included in Schedule 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, as amended). Any such reports will be removed. Please submit them instead to the appropriate London Natural History Society bird recorder. Note that records submitted here may be added to the LNHS database for use in the London Bird Report; by posting news here you agree to have your records copied by the LNHS recorder. Further information on entering sightings can be found HERE. A scalable map of the London recording area is available HERE. 'Saturday 4th May 2013' *Clapton (Upper) E5: 3 Swallows over house (David Collins) *Crayford Marshes: 2 Avocet, 5 Whimbrel, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, Wheatear,4 Sedge Warbler, 10 Reed Warbler, Common Sandpiper, 2 Swift, 3 House Martin, 20 Whitethroat. (Kev Jarvis). *Kingston (Canbury Gardens): 1 Blackcap, 1 male Grey Wagtail, with 3 Barn Swallow, 3 Sand Martin close by at Kingston Train-Bridge (Spencer Neal) *Peckham Rye Park: Swallow over low NW (Martin Stevens). *Richmond TW10 (Ham Lands): 2 Common Whitethroat, 8 Blackcap, 8 Chiffchaff, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker (Spencer Neal) *Staines Reservoirs: 1 LittleTern 'through @ 06.15. 1 Turnstone, 2 Sanderling, 2 Dunlin, 1 Black-necked Grebe. (Ken Purdey) *Totteridge Valley: Grasshopper Warbler, Garden Warbler, 2 Kestrel, pale morph Common Buzzard, 2 Bullfinch. (Ian Ellis) *Wimbledon Park (Lake): 14 Swift, 2 House Martin, 42 Starling, 1 Common Tern, 1 Pochard, 2 Gadwall, 4 Mallard young - first on water this year (Martin Daniel) 'Friday 3rd May 2013 *Abney Park Cemetery: 1 Red Kite low north at 18:30. (Laurence Pitcher) *Alexandra Park: Peregrine circled Wood Green Res 10am, also Lesser Whitethroat heard briefly Lower Slopes, 2 singing Whitethroat, 1-2 Swift, 3 Swallow (David Callahan, Bob Watts). *Brookmill Park, SE 8: Mandarin, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaff, House Sparrow (Conrad Ellam) *Crayford Marshes: drake Common Scoter on the Thames; 5 Whimbrel, 3 Lesser Whitethroat, 4 Sedge Warbler, Corn Bunting, Wheatear, 3 Cetti's Warbler, Common Sandpiper, Lesser Redpoll, 3 Sand Martin, 14 Reed Warbler, 32 Whitethroat (Kev Jarvis). 2 Raven, Yellowhamer (Tom Clarke) *Dartford Crossing: Eurasian Whimbrel flew N at c12:20 (Dominic Mitchell). *Dartford Marshes: drake Common Scoter in Thames downriver of Rainham RSPB - presumably the same bird noted by Kev Jarvis at Crayford; 9 Reed Warbler, 3 Cetti's Warbler, 11 Whitethroat, 4 Blackcap, 3 Chiffchaff, 2 Meadow Pipit, 2f Wheatear, 6 Linnet, 2m Reed Bunting, 11 Skylark, 6 Sand Martin, 3 Swallow, Kestrel, Hobby, Peregrine Falcon calling at Littlebrook Power Station, 2 Little Egret, 2 Greenshank, 7 Lapwing, 2 Oystercatcher, 9 Shelduck; also Harbour Porpoise in Thames (Martin Stevens). *East India Dock Basin/Bow Creek Ecology Park: 3 Whitethroat, 3 Blackcap, 8 Reed Warbler, Little Ringed Plover, 5 Common Tern, Sand Martin, Great Black-backed Gull in the basin (Paul Hyland) *Forest Hill SE23: Red Kite low and W at 17.50 (Paul Moss) *Holland Park: Peregrine over E, 3+ Swift. (Bill Haines). *London Wetland Centre: 1 Shelduck, 2 Buzzard, 1 Red Kite, 5 Redshank, 3 Little Ringed Plover, 1 Greenland Wheatear, 3 Yellow Wagtail, 1 Rook flew NW, 3 Linnet (R Kaye). *Margravine Cemetery: 1 Wood Warbler, 1 pr House Sparrow, 1 Mistle Thrush, 1 partially leucistic f Great Spotted Woodpecker (Nathalie Mahieu). *Rainham: Common Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, Swallow, House Martin, 2 Swifts all over garden (Richard Harrison). *Richmond Park: 2 Red Kite - wing-tagged bird S at 10.20 & un-tagged SW at 12.40, 2 Buzzard, Hobby, pair Shelduck & 2 pairs Gadwall - Pen Ponds (J.Wilczur). *Staines Moor: 2 Cuckoo high over N calling early morning, 4 Northern Wheatear, 2 Hobby, 1 Common Tern E, 1 Garden Warbler, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Red Kite, 1 Swallow S, 2 Gadwall, 5 Northern Lapwing, 2 Little Egret (Lee Dingain) *Stanwell Moor: 1 Cuckoo, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Garden Warbler, 3 Swallow (Lee Dingain); 7.30-8.30am Grasshopper Warbler E side of boardwalk seen reeling intermittently, 4 Garden Warbler, Cuckoo (Steve Woolfenden) *Stokes Field (Long Ditton, KT7): 1 Bullfinch, 3 Swallow, 3 Common Whitethroat, 6 Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaff, 1 Buzzard (Bill Dykes) *Sutcliffe Park, Kidbrooke: Song Thrush, 3 Reed Warbler, Willow Warbler, 3+ Reed Bunting (male by boardwalk & one possibly two pairs along stream), female House Sparrow (Conrad Ellam) *Swanley Park: Turtle Dove showing well top of the Limes, friendly with Stock Dove but chasing Collared Doves, 10.30 (Andy Meaton); watched the Turtle Dove till 11.15 (Paul Sell) *Walthamstow Reservoirs: Lockwood - 1 Arctic Tern, 4 Common Tern, 6 Buzzard, Hobby (KJMcmanus); 3 Hobby, Black Redstart (Paul Whiteman) *Wandsworth Common: singing Lesser Whitethroat in alder by lake (Neil Anderson) *Wanstead Flats: 3 Swallow, Willow Warbler, Linnet over brooms, pr Kestrel, 2 Sparrowhawk, 2 m Pochard (Nick Croft/Tim Harris) *Wanstead Park: Hobby (ornamental waters) (Bob Vaughan); Peregrine Falcon west over Bush Wood, 3 Swift (Jonathan Lethbridge) monthly round up here http://wansteadbirding.blogspot.co.uk/ *Westminster: 2 Sand Martin over Thames at 08:30, 1 Swallow at 14:30 seen from Victoria Tower Gardens (Frank Nugent). *Wimbledon Park (Lake): 1 Common Sandpiper, 2 Gadwall, 5 Swallow N 09.00, 40 Herring Gull (16 Herring Gull SE 08.50 & 24 NW 18.00-18.45), 1 Red Kite high NW 18.20, 2 Swift, 1 Sand Martin (Martin Daniel) *Wormwood Scrubs: 2 Little Egret E 0910hrs, 5 Lesser Whitethroat including 3 singers, 2 Collared Dove, 2 (pr) Bullfinch, c22 Whitethroat, c20 Blackcap, 1 Grey Wagtail (The Scrubbers) 'Thursday 2nd May 2013' *Alexandra Park: 4 Swifts high over Conservation Pond (Dave Callahan per Bob Watts); another 5-6 through mid-morning (Dominic Mitchell, David Callahan); 2 Common Buzzards N 1810 (Bob Watts, Henry Wyn-Jones). *Brent Reservoir: Common Buzzard circling W 09.25, 20+ Swifts (Andrew Verrall). *Brimsdown EN3: Cetti's Warbler calling at 08.40 from scrub between power station and canal (Martin Shepherd). *Crayford Marshes: drake Common Scoter on the Thames; Whimbrel, 2 Wheatear, 3 Curlew, 5 Reed Warbler, 14 Whitethroat (Kev Jarvis). *Crossness: Turtle Dove west over golf centre 6.45pm; also Green Sandpiper in the paddocks, 1 Black-tailed Godwit, 9 Teal, 5 Common Tern (Richard Bonser). *Ewell KT19 (Hogsmill Open Space): 6 Chiffchaff, 3 Blackcap, Nuthatch, Green Woodpecker, Grey Heron, 2 Stock Dove. Orange Tip, Peacock, Comma and Small White Butterflies (Neil Batten) *Ham KT2 (rear of YMCA Hawker Centre): Whitethroat (Phil Davies). *Hampstead Heath: Swift over Parliament Hill at 07:00 (Frank Nugent). *Harmondsworth UB7: 2 Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler, 89 Stock Dove, c5 Whitethroat (Nigel Sluman) *King George V Reservoir: 35+ Arctic Tern (Ian Lycett). *London Wetland Centre: 1 Blue-headed Wagtail (main lake), 9 Swift, 14 House Martin, 2 Garden Warbler, 8 Blackcap, 1 Wheatear (Adam Salmon). *Regent's Park/Primrose Hill: 2 ad Great Black-backed Gull low E away from boating lake 0715 - patch tick (birdman_euston) *Richmond Park: skywatching from 11.50am, Lawn Field - 2 Hobby together from 12.25, high, mostly over Pond Slade. Those led me to a single Buzzard at 12.35, which was joined by two more - 3 Buzzards together from 12.39, sparring high over Pond Slade/Ponds Plantation. Last seen 12.51. No Swifts, very few hirundines in 90 minute watch. (S.Czapski) *Staines Moor: 1 Hobby, 1 Cuckoo, 1 Common Tern E, 1+ Lesser Whitethroat, 5 (2m 3f) Wheatear, 2 Swallow, 1 Lapwing (Lee Dingain - a few Hobby pics here ) *Staines Reservoir:' 20 Arctic Tern '''from 06.30 till 07.13 only, 1 Black-necked Grebe S basin SE corner usually, 2 Little Ringed Plover (Bob Warden per FJM). *Stanwell Moor: 1 Grasshopper Warbler still present east of boardwalk singing occasionally, 1 Cuckoo, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 2+ Garden Warbler, 1 Red Kite N, 1 Common Buzzard, 1 Egyptian Goose W, 2 House Martin, 3 Swallow, 1 Sparrowhawk, 2 Lapwing (Lee Dingain) *Swanley Park: Turtle Dove calling but elusive 12.00 (Andy Meaton); continued to call on and off, without showing, until 15.15, when it was spotted from the avenue of limes, it was perched in an elder bush from where it flew up in to one of the limes, where it perched briefly before flying off in pursuit of a Woodpigeon (John Bushell & Conrad Ellam) *Thorney CP: 5 Common Whitethroats, 9 Blackcaps, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Canada Geese , 5 Common Terns, Lesser Whitethroat, 3 Reed Warblers, Song Thrush, Little Egret, Red Kite over at 12.37pm (Sue Giddens). *Tooting: Common Buzzard circling above my garden at 19:40 (James Hudson) *Walthamstow: still 5+ '''Waxwings' at Waltham Crown Court at 18:00 today (Joe Dickens) JD, there's no Crown Court by that name - did you mean Waltham Forest Magistrates' Court (or Snaresbrook Crown Court)? oops. Yes I meant Waltham Forest Maigstrates Court - right by where they've been next to the Town Hall. (Joe Dickens). *Walthamstow Reservoirs: Common Buzzard low East over Lockwood (and house) @ 14.00 (Lol Bodini). *Wanstead Flats: Lesser Whitethroat, 4 Lesser Redpoll, Linnet, Kestrel, pr Sparrowhawk displaying over the park (Bob Vaughan/Nick Croft) Which area do you usually see the Redpoll & Linnets (and Whinchat before)? (A Smith) Redpolls anywhere, but today SSSI, Linnets on the police scrape mostly but again today flyover, Whinchat mainly in the broom fields (check website for map) - NC That's really helpful, many thanks! (AS) *Wanstead Park: Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Little Egret (Mike Messenger) 'Wednesday 1st May 2013' *Alexandra Park: 1 Lesser Whitethroat, last seen singing at bottom of slopes to west of cricket pitches at 09:35 (Bob Watts, David Callaghan, Gareth Richards). *Brent Reservoir: only 2 Common Terns, feeding flock 24 Swifts, 17 Swallows north, 8 House Martins, 2 Sand Martins, most common warblers (Brent Birders). *Canons Farm: female Whinchat, male Wheatear (David Campbell) *Cheam Village: Singing Grey Wagtail on rooftops 12.15 (Neil Batten). *Crayford Marshes: Short-eared Owl again hunting between Crayford and Dartford Marshes at 06:20; drake Common Scoter feeding in the Thames; 3 Whimbrel, 6 Sedge Warbler, Greenshank, Corn Bunting, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, Wheatear, 3 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Common Tern, 16 Reed Warbler, 28 Whitethroat (Kev Jarvis). *Dartford Marshes: 2 Hobby, Cuckoo, 20+ Swift, 10+ Sand Martin, Swallow, Wheatear, 4 Blackcap, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 10+ Common Whitethroat, 3 Cetti's Warbler, 4 Reed Warbler, 2 Chiffchaff, Reed Bunting (Conrad Ellam) *Fulham Sands End: 5 House Sparrow on Thames Path by supermarket (a small miracle after most habitat destroyed with building work) (Nathalie Mahieu) *Hampstead Heath: Yellow Wagtail over ploughed field at 07.00, 2 Whitethroat (1m 1f) (Huw Prior) *Heathrow Airport: 5 Waxwings in the trees by the bus stop at Northern Perimeter Road, near the junction with Hatton Road North at 0610 (Wendy Marks via AS); Thank you Wendy / AS - Adam Cheeseman Biodiversity Manager, Heathrow; ''Probable '''Black Kite '''over heading north at 13:20 (one was seen over Sunbury an hour earlier) though seen distantly through heat haze, Hobby feeding near Compass Centre and 2 Kestrels. (Adam Cheeseman); possible black kite seen flying over the animal reception centre at Heathrow airport around 12 (stuart king) *Lee Valley RP (River Lee CP, Seventy Acres Lake): 20-25 Common Terns + 1 '''Arctic Tern' through late afternoon mainly 2-3 at a time (all came in high from S then went off high to NE when chased off by Black-headed Gulls), 2 Nightingales, North Met Pit: mixed singing Willow Warbler near canal on causeway (often starting with Chiffchaff song), Electricity substation: at least 5 singing Nightingales. (Roy Woodward); Cuckoo calling 19:30 S of substation, recently fledged broods of Mallard (River Lea), Canada Goose (Seventy Acres). (Matt Reed). *London Wetland Centre: 2 Kestrel (displaying), 1 Buzzard (SE), 2 Little Ringed Plover, 5 Redshank, 5 Common Tern, 7 Collared Dove, 14 Swift, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Garden Warbler, 5 Blackcap, 3 Redpoll sp. (WWT website) *Morden Hall Park: 2 Common Whitethroat (display and courtship), 3-4 singing Chiffchaff, 1 Grey Wagtail (Andy Lamb) *Regent's Park/Primrose Hill: 2 Swift, 1 Willow Warbler, 1 Whitethroat, 1 Sedge Warbler (patch yr-1st) singing in lakeshore dogwoods just R of boathouse café area 5 0745 onward, 2 Grey Wagtail (birdman_euston); 1 Hobby N 0705, 2 Common Tern over lake 0620 (fide Regent's Park Birds blog) *Ruislip Lido: 6 House Martin collecting mud (Nigel Sluman) *Staines Moor: 2 Hobby, 2 Little Egret, 2 Lapwing, Redshank, Kingfisher, Wheatear, Sedge and Reed Warbler (Paul Boult) *Staines Reservoir: 1 Black-necked Grebe (S. Basin), 1 Ringed Plover (N Basin west bank), 2 Little Ringed Plover (S Basin) (A.Luscombe) *Stanwell Moor: Grasshopper Warbler, Garden Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, 8 Swallow, 3 Red Kite, Cuckoo and a Weasel (Keith Kerr) *Stokes Field KT7: pr Bullfinch, 1 Buzzard over, 5 Whitethroat, 6 Chiffchaff, c10 Blackcap (Bill Dykes) *Stoneleigh (Chadacre Road): Herring Gull east, Blue-fronted Amazon Parrot again in gardens stripping blossom from trees (Neil Batten). *Swanley Park : Turtle Dove showing well 9.30 usual tree see link, Stock Dove, Egyptian Goose (patch 1st), Mute Swan, 2 Slow worm ...thanks CE (Andy Meaton) *Walthamstow South Marsh: 5 Ring-Necked Parakeet, 2 Sedge Warbler, 5 Blackcap, 1 Reed Warbler, 2 Swift (John Sellar) *Wanstead Flats: 7 Swallow, 2 House Martin, Sand Martin, 2 Swift, 2 Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, singing Reed Bunting, Linnet, Lesser Redpoll, 7 Pochard (Nick Croft/Tim Harris); Could Brandon Anderson get in touch regarding his Common Redpoll in Wanstead Park on the 3rd April by the website *West Brompton SW5: Nuthatch (very vocal) opposite station in small area of railway embankment scrub by Earls Court (unusual here, no doubt on away day from cemetery) (Matt Reed). *Wimbledon Park (Lake): 2 Gadwall, 2 Common Tern, 1 Swift, 3 Swallow, 1 House Martin, 5 Herring Gull over, 1 Blackcap in song (Martin Daniel).08.40-09-00 'Archived News' LONDON BIRDING NEWS FROM ALMOST EVERY PREVIOUS MONTH SINCE JULY 2002 {C}﻿﻿